


Under The Wing Of A King

by thesoundofnat



Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-02
Updated: 2015-02-02
Packaged: 2018-03-10 05:24:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3278369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesoundofnat/pseuds/thesoundofnat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Thorin suddenly goes all mama bear on Bilbo and the hobbit is confused. He turns to Balin for advice, but ends up getting some interesting information from Fili and Kili instead. Apparently there is a difference between protecting your people and protecting someone you love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Under The Wing Of A King

**Author's Note:**

> This was originally posted on my tumblr, but I decided to post it here as well since I personally prefer reading fic on here, so I figured other people do as well.
> 
> My tumblr, if anyone's interested, is thesoundofnat.tumblr.com
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Bilbo Baggins noticed, after miles and miles of traveling by ponies and by foot and by eagles, after having flirted with death countless of times, after endless nights of rain and cold and exhaustion, that Thorin Oakenshield was an actual mama bear.

Yes, that Thorin Oakenshield. The ‘soon to be king under the mountain’ Thorin Oakenshield. The ‘didn’t I say you would be a burden’ Thorin Oakenshield. To his credit he did say that he’d never been so wrong in his life, but still, Bilbo would never had pegged Thorin Oakenshield as an overprotective type.

Though, in retrospect, Thorin had the whole fate of his people resting on his shoulders, as well as making sure his nephews were okay, so it did make sense. But still. Bilbo never would’ve imagined that Thorin Oakenshield would ever take him under his wing.

But here they were, edging closer and closer to the sole lake standing between them and Erebor, and Bilbo was starting to feel annoyed over how considerate Thorin was being. Yes, Bilbo had just saved him from a certain death, but couldn’t he just thank him and move on instead of making sure he was always by his side and ask him every other minute if he was feeling okay? Could Thorin not act like a leader for a second?

“Is everything all right, Master Baggins?”

Bilbo suppressed a sigh. “Yes, Thorin, everything is fine. Just like it was five minutes ago.”

“I’m simply making sure that nothing is inconveniencing you. It would be a great shame if our burglar got hurt when we’ve gotten this far.”

“There’s hardly any way for me to get hurt on this road,” Bilbo told him, once again.

“You can never be too careful.”

Bilbo nodded his head tiredly. “Of course.”

By the time they settled down for the night Bilbo was going crazy. Thorin’s watchful eye was constantly on him, and quite frankly it was making him slightly uncomfortable to be examined so thoroughly. He leaned into Balin who was sitting next to him, trying not to let his mind linger on the faint shadow that crossed the king’s features.

“Can someone please get him to stop?” he murmured to the elder dwarf, interrupting him mid-chew.

“Stop?” he asked, giving Bilbo a blank stare. “Oh, you mean the way he-”

“Yes, exactly!”

“But he’s only-”

“I know, I know, but still!

Balin smiled fondly at him. “He’s just looking out for you. He probably feels guilty for having underestimated you.”

“And he might like the excuse to be next to you constantly,” a voice suddenly said in Bilbo’s ear and he jerked forward, turning to glare at Kili. How long had he and Fili been sitting there?

“I beg your pardon?”

Kili was grinning. “Uncle might seem stoic and cold, but he does have a heart.”

“And it’s beating only for you,” Fili sang, his smirk matching his brother’s.

“Are you two out of your minds?”

“Possibly.”

“But we’re right about this.”

Bilbo shook his head, as if somehow it would clear his mind. “I am positive you’re out of your minds.”

“Master Baggins, we know our uncle,” Fili said as Balin slipped away from them - probably thinking his part in this conversation was done - and made to sit down next to Dwalin, but Thorin bid him over, so he slinked into the empty seat next to their leader instead. Not that Bilbo was overly observant. He was too busy trying to talk sense into the two youngest dwarves.

“I have no doubt that you know him. All I’m saying is-”

“No. You’re not saying anything,” Fili cut him off. “Listen to us. Thorin, in whichever way, feels the need to protect you and be close to you. Do you know how many dwarves get to experience that?”

Bilbo blinked. “All of them? I mean, he is the future king under the mountain.”

“Yeah, but it’s not the same,” Kili waved him off. “Thorin may protect us all, but he trusts them enough to not need him to their aid all the time. The only dwarves he’s always keeping an eye on-”

“-are his nephews,” Fili finished for him. “Us. And do you know how many non-dwarves he’s taking under his wings?”

Of course Bilbo knew, but he still remained silent.

Fili pointed at him. “Only you. Bilbo Baggins. A hobbit from the Shire.”

Bilbo ran a hand over his face. “But it still doesn’t make sense.”

“Of course it does,” Fili said easily. “He likes you.”

“Slightly more than a friend,” Kili filled in, his grin back in place.

“All right, fine, let’s say he does. But why does he have to mother me?” Bilbo asked, still not quite believing what he was hearing.

“Because he’s constantly worried about you, as one is of someone they love.”

“Stop saying things like that,” Bilbo snapped, feeling frustrated and slightly upset over the fact that they decided to mess with his mind. “Stop putting false hope-”

“False? Master Baggins.” Fili sounded offended. “There is nothing false about any part of this conversation.”

And somehow Bilbo started to believe him. He turned to cast a quick glance at Thorin, only to find him already looking at him. It certainly wasn’t logical to keep denying the boys’ words. Bilbo cleared his throat, turning back to them.

“Oh, be quiet,” he said in return to their smirks. But he grinned back, and from the corner of his eye he saw Thorin smiling ever so slightly. And when he felt his heart do something that could only, as described in novels, be the equivalent to skipping a beat, Bilbo didn’t mind it too much.

When everyone started settling down to sleep, Bilbo found himself, not unexpectedly, next to Thorin, their bedrolls all but touching. Bilbo gave him a small, yet nervous smile, his feelings about the king’s insistent protection having changed immensely over the last hour. Instead of wanting to shy away from it he now welcomed it, almost embraced it. Thorin seemed to notice his change of heart and looked surprised at first before beaming back at him. Bilbo gave a quiet laugh at his enthusiasm.

But something happened between the threatening darkness of the night where Bilbo first had felt Thorin’s warm hand enclose his own, and the piercingly bright light of the early morning where Bilbo had found himself waking up to the warmth of another body. He’d spent half the night thinking; his mind, despite his attempts, refusing to settle down. After the first hour his thoughts turned unpleasant.

Thorin had always looked out for, well, everyone. Even for Bilbo, whom he had openly doubted from the very beginning. But had anyone ever looked out for him?

So instead of waking up feeling slightly sheepish yet giddy, Bilbo woke up determined. He scurried out of Thorin’s embrace, not missing the low whine escaping the dwarf’s mouth.

“Thorin,” he started quietly, turning to look at the half-sleeping king.

“Halfling?” Thorin mumbled back, opening one eye to peek at him. “What is it?”

Bilbo shook his head. “I realize that this is the worst time to do this, but I cannot keep it in any longer. We need to talk.”

Thorin bolted upright at that. A hard look settled on his face. It saddened the hobbit. He was always so ready to put on a facade of defiance; a mask of cold hearted indifference.

“It’s nothing bad, I promise,” he hurried to assure him, wanting that expression gone immediately.

Thorin relaxed slightly, but the softness from just moments before was gone from his features.

Bilbo exhaled loudly. “I don’t know what we are or what we have, but I know that you want to protect me and I appreciate that. I really do. However, I do wish to gain the opportunity to take care of you for once.”

All emotion drained from Thorin’s face. All of it. He was now a living example of a blank stare.

Bilbo reached out a shaky hand to place briefly on Thorin’s cheek before letting it drop again. “You have so much on your plate. I just want you to know that you have someone who cares and...and is here for you. Someone to, metaphorically, carry you when you need it.”

He felt foolish saying all of that aloud, but he meant it wholeheartedly. Thorin’s face suddenly filled with so many emotions that Bilbo lost count. He just hoped that was a good thing.

When Thorin’s lips pressed against his own - and several poorly concealed cheers were heard behind him - Bilbo was certain that no similar words had ever been directed at the king. He was determined to change that.

But first he needed to kiss Thorin back with a slightly embarrassing eagerness. When they finally parted, after the others dwarves’ grunts of mock-disgust grew around them, Thorin whispered a soft thank you in his ear. Bilbo could only smile.

Bilbo Baggins never would’ve pegged Thorin Oakenshield as a soft type. Then again, he never thought he’d be able to smugly tell the king’s nephews that their uncle was a fantastic kisser either. This journey was sure not how he had first expected. He didn’t mind.


End file.
